Phonograph.



No. 855,622. PATBNTED JUNE 4, 1907. N. G. DURAND & E. L. AIKEN.

PHONOGRAPH.

APPLIUATION FILED OOT.26,1906.

F M W;

Wham-7a;

ll tiiiriTEr j ELSON t. DURAND, OF EAST ORANGE, AN D EDWARD L. AIKEN, OF ORANGE,

Xlili' JEiSUY, ASSlO-NORS TO NEW JERSEY Pi-iTllINl COIdPANY, OF l 'EST ORANGE, lClV JERSEY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PHQNOGRAPl-l.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1907.

Application filed October 26,1905. Serial No. 340.728.

To all whom, it 7721/11] concern.-

Be it known that we, NELSON C. DURAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, and EDWARD L. AIKEN, a 01' tizen of the United States, residing at Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, .hye invented certain new and useful Improvements in lhonographs, of which the following is a description.

Our invention relates to phonographs and more particularly to the sound conducting tube or tubes by which the sound Waves are conveyed to the diaphragm of the recorder and from the diaphragm of the reproduccr, and has been particularly designed for application to phonographs in which the recorder and rcproduccr are carried in a spectacle frame, as shown for instance in Edison Patent No. 386,974 dated July 31, 1888. In instruments of this character the spectacle frame is capable of assuming two' positions, one in which the recorder occupies an operative position with respect to the record sur face while the reproducer is in an inactive or inoperativeposition, and another position in which the reproduccr is in an operative position and the recorder is in an inactive position.

l W it is desirable especially in using phonographs for "commercial purposes that one should be able to shift with very little eilort from recorder to reproduccr and vice versa, so that itshould not be nccessar T to detach the speaking or listening tube from the phonograph in making this change. This result has been z'tocoinplished heretofore by means. shown in the patent referred to and which comprises a short tube M carried by a sup port M which is independent of the pivotal movement of the spectacle frame. he speaking tube is secured to the tube M and will be in proper position for either recording or reproducing as the movement of the spectacle frame carries t is neck of the recorder or reproducer into a position just below the lower end .of said tube. The structure described is objectionable, however, in that there will be a slight space or opening between the lower end of the tube M and. the l neck of the recorder or reproduccr), thus sllowing an equalization of pressure and a consequent weakening of the sound Waves which act upon the diaphragm in recording and therefore producing a fainter record than would be produced in case a continuous 01' unbroken passage is provided, and fur thermore in case the member M which sup ports the. tube hi becomes slightly bent, it

becomes impossible to shift the spectacle frame from one position to the other.

Our in vention has for its ob ect the provision of a sound conductor or coupling for connecting a single speaking or listening tube with both the recorder and reproduccr of a phonograph when carried by a movable spectacle f 'anic as in the patent referred to.

Reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawing of which Figure l is a front elevation showing in full lines a coupling embodying our invention and applied to the recorder and reproducer of being in the position shown in Fig. 1; ig. 4 ion.

is a view similar to Fig. 3 of the parts w occupying the position shown in Fig. 2.

.In all the views like parts are designated by the same'refcrence numerals.

Referring to Fig. 1 the spectacle frame a occupies an oblique position with the recorder l) directly above and. in operative relation. to the sound record or blank 0 while the reproducer (Z is in a position above and to one side of the recorder. The coupling comprises a pair of hollow or tubular members 1 and 2, the bore of which is of a size adapted to telescope upon the necks of the recorder and rc- 'produt 1', making a snug ht.

closed at its upper end while the tube 1 may be extended pwardly forming an openended neck 3 as shown, upon which the ordinary sp ilcing or listening tube may be applied b making the some of a size adapted to snugly lit over the said neck 3 which is preferably of the same outside diameter as the nccl; of the recorder or reproducer. The tubes 1. and. 2 connected by a curved tube The tube 2 is 4; within this tube is a valve seat 5 formed witha port 6 adapted. to be closed by a ball 7 when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. 1

When the spectacle frame is turned into the position of Figs. 2 and 4 the reproducer will then be in suitable position for tracking the record while the recorder, will be situated above and to one side of the same. In this position. the ball 7 rolls off from the valve 5 thus opening the port 6, and a pin 8 placed across the bore of the tube 4 prevents the escape of the ball 7.

The operation oi the device is as follows:

When the recorder is in operative position port 6 is closed by the ball 7,v therefore the the sound waves which enter the coupling through the neck 3 pass into the air chamber of the recorder without beingweakened as would bet-he case were the port 6 open, and when the parts in position for reproduc ing, the port 6 is open and the waves or vibrations set up in the air chamber of the reproduce-r find an unobstructed passage to the neck 3 and the listening tube. The port 6 is automatically opened and closed as the spectacle frame is shifted from one position to the other.- Furthermore since the listening tube is applied to the neck 3 which is directly'above the recorder, the device acts as an indicator of the position of the recorder.

. The user will not be likely to attempt to dictate to the phonograph when the parts are in the position of Fig. 2 because the speaking tube will lead toa point considerably above I and in rear of that. .portion of the record surface which should be acted upon so that it will be evident to the user that he is talking to the wrong s ot, whereas with the parts in the position 0 l the speaking tube will lead to a point directly above and close to, the record surface, thus showing the user that tl sound wav'esare being conducted to the proper spot. lit will be obvious however, that the point tube need not necessarily bean extension of the tube 1, as the valve seat 5 may be situated. anywhere between the reproducer and reco der and the speaking tube applied anywhere between the recorder and valve seat the cal point to be'obscrved being that the valve be so designed as to be open when the parts are in the position of Fig. 2 and closed when'in the position of Fig. 1.

Having now described our invention, What we claim new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

' lo a phonograph, the combination of a of application of the speaking '1- ne, a recorder and" reproducer carried "thereby, and a "coupling coinprlslng a pair of hollow members communicating with the interiors of said recorder and reproducer and with each other, substantially as set forth.

2. In a phonograph, the combination of a frame, a. recorder and reprod ucer carried thereby, and a coupling comprising a pair of hollow members communicating with the interiors of said recorder and inproducer, and with each other through a valved connection, substantially as set forth.

3. In a phonograph, the combination of a frame, a recorder and reproducer "carried thereby, and a coupling comprising a pair of hollow members communicating with the interiors of said recorder and reproducer, and with each other through a connection having a ball valve, substantially as-setforth.

4. In a phono mph, the combihation of a frame, a recor er and reproducer carried thereby, and a coupling comprising a pair of tubular members up lied to the necks of said recorder and reproducer and connected to each other by acurved tube having a ball valve, substantially as set forth.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a

coupling comprising a pair of tubular rn.en,3

bers, a connection, and a ball valve adapted to close said connection, fortta 6. As a new article of manufacture, a coupling comprising a air of tubular members connected b a tu e, one of said members being provir ed with an open ended eX- tension, substantially as set forth.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a coupling comprising a pair of tubular members connected by a valved tube, one of said members being provided with an open ended extension, substantially as set forth.

8. As a new' article oi manufacture," a coupling comprising a pair of tubulin ineinbers connected by a tube having a ball valve,

' one of said members being provided with an open ended forth.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a

extension, substantially as set coupling comprising a pair of tubular mem bers adapted to fit upon the necks oi. a re corder andreproducer, a tube connecting said members and a valve in said tube, one of said members being provided with an open ended extension of slightly reduced diameter, substantially as set forth.

This specification. signed and witnessed this 24th day'of ()ctober, 1906.

NELSON (l. DURAND. EDWARD L. AIE'QEN. Witnesses:

DELos HOLDEN, FRANK L. DYER.

substantially as set 

